Disney brings the Force with 'Star Wars' game, TV show push

LOS ANGELES Aug 21 (Reuters) - Walt Disney Co is
ramping up its first major push to promote the "Star Wars"
franchise it purchased from George Lucas in 2012, blitzing
consumers this year with a mobile game, animated TV show and an
expanded line of toys and clothes.

The anticipated rush of light sabers, Wookiees and other
"Star Wars" mainstays is Disney's attempt to cash in on its
$4.05 billion acquisition of LucasFilm, which gave the company a
popular yet aging franchise that has not produced a new feature
film in nine years.

It is available exclusively for 30 days through Apple Inc's
App Store and later on Google Inc's Android
devices. Disney generates revenue by selling a currency known as
crystals that can be used to speed up game play.

On Sept. 29, the company will release computer-animated
movie "Star Wars Rebels: Spark of Rebellion" online and on the
Watch Disney XD app. The film debuts on Disney Channels around
the world on Oct. 3, followed by a series based on the movie on
the Disney XD channel starting Oct. 13.

This week, retailers began selling toys, bedding, backpacks
and other products tied to the series, expanding the range of
"Star Wars" items previously available. A line of "Star
Wars"-branded healthy foods will hit shelves next year.

The game will be promoted on Disney's StarWars.com website,
which is drawing steady traffic from fans more than a year
before the next film, "Episode VII," hits theaters, said Jimmy
Pitaro, president of Disney's interactive unit.

"We are still a decent amount of time from the movie, and
yet we are seeing a huge amount of interest," Pitaro said.

It remains to be seen if "Star Wars" will be as much a draw
as a couple decades ago.

But the campaign is representative of Disney's strategy of
banking on acquired names. This year, retailers generated $1
billion in sales from each of eight Disney's franchises,
including Marvel's Spider-Man and Pixar movie "Cars," Chief
Executive Officer Bob Iger has said.

The company says will release a film annually starting with
"Episode VII." It also plans to "significantly" increase the
space adventure's presence at its theme parks, Iger said during
an Aug. 5 earnings call.

Although Iger didn't disclose how the company intends to use
"Star Wars" at its parks, in 2012 it tapped another franchise
when it opened a 12-acre Cars Land, based on the 2006 Pixar
film, at Disney California Adventure park in Anaheim.

"This is one of those franchises you just can't overexpose,"
said Peter Sealey, former head of marketing at Columbia
Pictures. "You just put the metal to the floor and enjoy the
ride."
(Reporting By Ronald Grover; Editing by Edwin Chan and Cynthia
Osterman)